


Growing Pains

by setrevuo



Series: 28-day ficlet writing challenge [18]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fatherhood, Living Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23746501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setrevuo/pseuds/setrevuo
Summary: Just a day in the lives of two new dads and their baby.
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Jooheon
Series: 28-day ficlet writing challenge [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686037
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	Growing Pains

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt - CRY: write about the act of shedding tears.

“Are you sure he’s not hungry?”

“Yes, I’m sure! Oh my god, I think I’m breaking into hives.”

The sounds of their voices are barely decipherable above the shrill of the baby’s cries. Jooheon gently bounces his son in his arms as he paces the living room, carefully avoiding the plastic toys strewn all over the floor. In the kitchen, Hyungwon pokes his head out of the pantry, holding his own armful of baby food.

“You don’t think he’s going through some kind of craving, do you?”

“I _told_ you,” Jooheon responds without even glancing at his boyfriend. “He’s not supposed to get hungry for another hour.” He looks up at the ceiling to keep his own tears from spilling. “Why did we think we could handle this? I’m a monster. A monster who’s gonna kill his own baby.”

“Alright, let’s not panic,” Hyungwon drops everything back into the shelves before looking around the house for another clue to the case of the crying baby. “Is he sleepy?”

“He just woke up from his nap!”

“Could he have had a nightmare?”

“He was smiling in his sleep,” Jooheon pauses. What _do_ babies dream about? The three of them were enjoying a game of peek-a-boo just before his naptime. Maybe the baby’s dads showed up in his dream to continue the game.

Another especially loud screech brings Jooheon’s attention back to the matter at hand. 

Hyungwon nearly runs up to join Jooheon, looking down at the crying bundle in concern. The baby’s face is red and bloated, streaked with tears that refuse to stop. 

“Does he need a diaper change?”

“Again?” 

Jooheon brings the baby close to his nose and sniffs, fearing a stench yet also praying for it. Alas, he only smells fresh baby powder. His sigh is enough of an answer for Hyungwon. 

Jooheon stretches his arms out a little towards Hyungwon. 

“You wanna try holding him? Maybe he’s uncomfortable in my hands.”

The transfer of holders reduces the baby’s volume. Hyungwon brings the baby up to rest over his shoulder, carefully cradling his head while using his calming baritone to soothe the little one’s nerves. The change in orientation seems to momentarily put an end to the crying.

“Did that do it?” 

Jooheon’s hopeful remark is immediately proven false by another wail. This time, the cries are broken up by hiccuping. 

“Hey buddy,” Jooheon walks behind Hyungwon and uses his happy voice to talk to the baby. “Can you tell me what’s wrong, baby?”

Big, round eyes stay welled up in tears threatening to spill over as the baby’s lips tremble.

“Look here, buddy!” 

As Hyungwon embraces the baby while rubbing warm circles on his back, Jooheon makes a funny face. The baby pauses his crying, and blinks. Jooheon hides his face and this time pulls a different face, sticking his tongue out. The baby hiccups again, but this time with an expression in between a pout and a smile. Finally, Jooheon shows a third face, puffing up his cheeks and coupling it with cute baby talk.

That does it. The baby’s laugh starts as a gurgling, before breaking into uninhibited, high-pitched shriek.

“That’s right,” Hyungwon’s laughing now, too, relieved to hear the music of his baby’s laughter. “Isn’t daddy Jooheon silly?”

“So silly!” Jooheon adds as he pokes his own nose and crosses his eyes.

The baby laughs again, wildly waving his fists in excitement. Jooheon pinches the baby’s cheeks while cooing.

Hyungwon lowers himself on the couch, bringing the baby down on his lap to a sitting position. He maintains a secure arm on the baby’s back. Meanwhile, Jooheon finds his place right next to Hyungwon, still animatedly playing with the baby.

“We still don’t know why he was crying to begin with,” Jooheon sighs after the baby is sufficiently pacified.

"He’s got a complex personality," Hyungwon shrugs. “We just gotta take the victories as they come.” He gently nudges Jooheon, draping an arm over his shoulder. “And this victory was all yours, my little monster.”

Jooheon’s still wading in doubt, but smiles at the endearing nickname. He leans his head against Hyungwon’s shoulder, the same shoulder that previously held the baby.

“You think we got this?”

“Think?” Hyungwon rests his cheek on Jooheon’s head. “We _got_ this.”


End file.
